Abstract
The conservation of migratory wildlife species in the savannah habitat can be a challenge because of frequent and prolonged drought and their requirements for a large area. We investigated the performance of the wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) population in the 25,624 km2 Kilimanjaro landscape of Kenya and Tanzania, which comprises Amboseli-West Kilimanjaro-Magadi-Natron after 2009 drought. We used total aerial counts to determine the spatial distribution and numbers of wildebeests during wet and dry season in 2010 and 2013. Global Positioning System and digital voice recorders were used to count wildebeests along established transects within blocks. There was an increase in the wildebeest population by 103% during the wet season and 14% during the dry season between 2010 and 2013. The seasonal variation in density occurred between the four counting blocks with Natron and Magadi areas recording the highest densities. Generally, the increase in population could be attributed to the recovery of the population after the 2009 drought. The current cross border collaboration between Kenya and Tanzania in aerial surveys is an important step in the conservation of this migratory species in the landscape. This study demonstrates that detailed knowledge of density and spatial distribution of migratory species is required to plan effective conservation action.
Highlights
Populations of wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) still persist in various parts of the African savanna biome, both population types have suffered declines in various parts of the species’ range
We present the abundance and spatial distribution of wildebeest based on total aerial counts surveys
During the 2010 wet season, 7240 wildebeests were estimated at a density of 0.300 km2
Summary
Populations of wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) still persist in various parts of the African savanna biome, both population types have suffered declines in various parts of the species’ range. Huge declines in wildebeest population have been reported in the Masai Mara ecosystem by 81% [1], in Botswana by 90% [2], in Kruger National Park by 87% [3] [4] and in Etosha National Park [5]. The impact of drought which is climate-related has been related to nutritional factors dependent on intra-annual rainfall patterns, such as dry season rainfall [8]. Wildebeest numbers are negatively correlated with annual rainfall in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem [9] [10]. The survival of wildebeests in the changing weather patterns depends on their migratory behavior. While the underlying causes of the migration are not yet fully understood [11], the main factor influencing the migration, is thought to be rainfall through its effect on food or salinity [12]-[14] and energy maximization and nutrient availability [15] [16]
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